841 



ins; a sandy bottom. On the contrary it is called the 

 Weedy Sea,* from the quantity and variety of marine 

 plants, that grow upon its bottom, which is, in a large 

 proportion, composed of mud. It is particularly wor- 

 thy of notice, that Lord Valentia, in his voyage of dis- 

 coveries up the Red Sea, found almost uniformly by 

 soundings, and at various depths, a muddy bottom, and 

 sometimes a stiff clay. f 



66 It has been thought more proper therefore/' says 

 Mr. Shaw, " to translate Jam tiuph, the sea of weeds, 

 or the weedy sea, from the variety of Algae, and Fuci, 

 that grow within its channel, and at low water particu- 

 larly, are left in great quantities upon the sea shore.";): 



some marshes, which extend for more than twenty-five miles, and 

 are actually lower than the sea, though they are not overflowed, in 

 consequence ol a iarge bar of *and, which has accumulated between 

 them. ** Nothing, therefore." says Lord Valentia. "can be more 

 probable, than that, in times so far back, as the departure of the 

 Israelites, the sea itself extended to these marshes, and that since, 

 the same gradual encroachments of sand from the desert, which 

 have formed the Tehama iu Lower Arabia, have annihilated the 

 sea in a place where it was so much narrower." Valentines Tra- 

 vela, vol. III. page 356*. 



Moreover " There is every reason to believe that the Red Sea 

 actually extended, in former times, twenty -five miles north of 

 Suez." Do. Do. vol. III. page 359. 



* It was at Suez that Lord \ r alentia was enabled to enlarge his 

 collection of marine plants. ' 1 also greatly increased my collec- 

 tion of sea weed, w it k which the Red Sea abounds more than any 

 other "Do. Do. vol. I/I. page 345. 



t Valentia's Travels, vol.11. 



\ Shaw's Travels, pages 349 & 387. 



